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NUTRITION

Advances in pet nutrition mean there is now a wide range of commercially produced cat foods designed to match your cat's specific needs. For instance, if your cat spends the majority of his time indoors, he may benefit from a 'light' formula to avoid weight gain.

But unless your cat's circumstances change dramatically, there is no reason to break your regular feeding routine from the early days of adulthood, until your cat reaches seniority.

What to feed?

You can feed your cat on wet or dry food, or a combination of both. Some cats prefer to be fed wet food in the morning, for example, but have dry food left out during the day to snack on.

If you choose a dry food

You can expect your cat to chew it more actively and take longer to eat, to drink more water and to return regularly to the food rather than eating it all at once.

Fresh Water – Not Milk

Make sure fresh water is always available to your kitten and don’t give him cow’s milk. Contrary to popular belief, cow’s milk isn’t good for cats as they cannot digest lactose.

Meat-eaters

Cats must eat meat to survive. They can go blind and suffer other debilitating illnesses if fed on a total vegetarian diet.

Treats and snacks

Scraps from the dinner table may be seen by many as a way of showing affection. However, human foods are high in calories and lack many essential nutrients. If you wish to treat your cat, manufactured treats are a far healthier alternative. Just remember, when you do treat, always reduce your cat's main meal by an equivalent calorific amount.

How Much?

Follow the feeding guide on the back of the pack, but remember the guide is only there to give you an idea. Every cat is an individual, so the most important consideration is to feed enough to maintain a lean, healthy condition. And always ensure you provide plenty of clean, fresh water at all times.

When and How to Feed

If cats had their own way, you would be feeding them 13-16 small meals a day! Of course, this is a little inconvenient for owners.

Ultimately cats are creatures of habit, so it’s best to feed them in the same place and at the same time each day.

Place feeding bowls away from the litter tray and, if you have two cats, keep the bowls a reasonable distance apart to avoid confrontations or bullying.

Ensure you provide clean, fresh water in a clean bowl. This helps to keep the kidneys healthy and reduce the risk of Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD). Some cats will often ignore their water bowl in favour of a dripping tap, a puddle in the garden, or even the toilet bowl. Try and discourage this quickly.

Changing diet

Cats have a very different digestion system to ours, which can be easily upset when you change their food, whether from canned to dry or between different brands. Make the transition gradually by substituting a little of the new food with a little of the old food. Over the course of a week, at each feeding, add more of the new food and reduce the amount of the old food until the transition is complete.

Overweight cats

Adult cats have a natural tendency to put on weight. Obesity is the most common nutritional disorder in cats, affecting one in four in the UK. If weight is a growing concern, consider trying a specially formulated 'light' product. Light cat food is lower in fat, but still contains all the necessary vitamins and minerals your cat needs.